Star Chamber?

For John, BLUF:  Whixh should be controlling when it comes to social/cultural issues, the welcoming nation or the culture of the immigrants coming in?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Denmark’s Ex-Immigration Minister Gets Jail Sentence for Ordering Separation of Child Brides From Their ‘Husbands’

Here is the sub-headline:

BBC:  “The verdict cannot be appealed and the jail sentence is unconditional, meaning that it must be served.”

Freom Legal Insurrection, by Blogger Vijeta Uniyal, 14 December 2021, 11:30am.

Here is the lede plus one:

On Monday, Denmark’s high-power court convicted Inger Stoejberg, who served as the country’s immigration minister between 2015-19, for ordering the separation of refugees couples if the woman was under 18.

Stoejberg’s 2016 order, as she argues, was aimed at stamping out the practice of child brides who were being imported into the country in the wake of the migrant wave. “A total of 23 couples were separated, with the wives ranging in age from 15 to 17 years,” Germany’s DW News reported.

Here is the really disturbing part of the story, which is why the title of this Blog:

The so-called Impeachment Court, specially set up for Stoejberg’s trial, “agreed that the order had violated Danish law and the European Convention on Human Rights,” the TV network Euronews reported.

It seems to me that if a nation has age restrictions on marriages they should be enforced on everyone.  Otherwise they should be changed to reflect what is being allowed for some.  A two tiered system is inherently unequal.

Considering that in the West young teenage bridges were accepted several centuries ago it might be the way to go, except that in our current culture education suggests that 18 is a reasonable marriage age for all.  Our culture expects youth to stay in school until graduation from high school.  It is a reasonable expectation for society today.

A special court for Ms Stoejberg seems fishy to me.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Nancy For Ever

For John, BLUF:  I thought she had earlier decided to retire, not that I think she is too old.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Now We Know What Nancy Pelosi's 2022 Plans Are

From PJ Media, by Reporter Matt Margolis, 13 December 2021, 4:33 PM ET.

Here is the lede plus three:

Rumors have been going around for months that Nancy Pelosi was planning to retire.

Back in October, she refused to confirm to CNN’s Jake Tapper whether she would seek reelection, saying she had to have that conversation with her family first.

Well, I suppose she’s had the conversation, and if you were hoping Nancy would retire, I hate to break it to you, but according to CNN, she plans to stay at least until after the 2022 midterms.

“And sources familiar with Pelosi’s thinking say she isn’t ruling out the possibility of trying to stay in leadership after 2022, despite her original vow to leave as the top House Democrat,” CNN reports. “She’ll devote much of next year to raising money for Democrats as they try to hold their narrow majority, those sources tell CNN, adding to the nearly $1 billion her office calculates she has already raised for Democrats in her time as leader.”

While Speaker Pelosi is likely going to be reelected from her California District, I am doubtful the Democrats will hope a majority in the House in January 2023.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Very Bad, But Not a Trend

For John, BLUF:  The issue is the tornadoes that touched down along a 200 mile corridor in the US Midwest, killing over 100 people overnight between Friday night, the 10th, and Saturday morning, the 11th of December.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Meteorologist responds with data after Joe Biden seemingly blames climate change for deadly tornados

From The Blaze, by Reporter Chris Enloe, 13 December 2021.

Here is the lede plus nine:

Meteorologist Joe Bastardi fired back at President Joe Biden for seemingly blaming the devastating tornado outbreak that struck multiple states last week on climate change.

What did Biden say?

When a reporter asked Biden on Saturday whether climate change contributed to the deadly tornados, Biden pointed to climate change allegedly increasing the intensity of storms.

"All I know is that the intensity of the weather across the board has some impacts as a consequence of the warming of the planet and climate change," Biden said. "The specific impact on these specific storms, I can't say at this point."

"I'm going to be asking the EPA and others to take a look at that," Biden continued. "But the fact is that we all know everything is more intense when the climate is warming. Everything. And obviously, it has some impact here, but I can't give you a quantitative read on that."

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell was more direct. During an interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Criswell said the extreme weather "is going to be our new normal."

"The effects we are seeing of climate change are the crisis of our generation," Criswell said.

How did Bastardi respond?

The famed meteorologist accused Biden of weaponizing tornados and shared data showing that severe weather this year has not been as severe compared to previous years.

"Clueless Joe Biden In action again with his weaponization of Tornados. 1) Violent tornadoes not increasing. 2) this year tornados, hail and wind all together near-record low," Bastardi said. "Mindless media should do their dang job and call him on it, I called Trump out on Dorian jibberish." The data Bastardi included, coming from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, directly contradicts claims from Biden and Criswell that severe weather is more intense because of climate change.

Meteoroligist Joe Bastardi?  Yes, Wikipedia has described him as a Climate chsange denier.  That seems a little harsh.  How can anyone, looking back over tens of thousands of years deny climate change?

I do think that President Biden and FEMA Director Criswell took the easy way out, appealing to their base, but the data suggests they were specifically wrong, although there may be some larger climate shift.  If you read the whole article it will suggest this is not a particularly active period for tornados.  Or huriccanes.

Regards  —  Cliff

Abolishing Math

For John, BLUF:  A little perdictability in how we measure (describe) things is good.  Two plus two must always equal four or mathematics loses its ability to convey information.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Major News Outlet Asks if Math is Racist

By Alex Parker | Dec 10, 2021 12:15 AM ET.

Here is the lede plus four:

Have you ever considered a numerical concept and then suspected it was judging you by your color?

If so, USA Today has an article for you.

A piece published Tuesday asks, “Is math education racist?”

“Debate rages,” it claims, “over changes to how (the) U.S. teaches the subject.”

The current title is a tweak: As relayed by Fox News, the original headline posed more profoundly, “Is math racist?”

I blame people from the Indian subcontinent, for intorducing the concept of zero, and the Arabs, for giving us our znumber system, which replaced the klunky Roman Numeral system.

I, for one, like the predictability of the math I leared in K thruogh 12.  When I go to the store and buy buy watermellon and cottage cheese I feel I can depend on the numbers to always work out the same. The price may chnge, but the addition of the two items on the cash register will be consistent.  Without tht consistence, life woould be much more complex.

As for Math Eduction, that is on the Teachers' Unions.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Contested Races

For John, BLUF:  Dean Tran is someone who might give Republicans a shot at winning the Massachusetts Third Congressional District Seat.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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TRAN VS TRAHAN:  A CHANCE TO END THE MADNESS

Here is the sub-headline:

Former State Senator and Fitchburg City Councilor Seeks Third District Congressional Seat

From IZON GOP, by First Middlesex Mass GOP Committeeman Dennis Galvin, 10 December 2021.

Here is the lede plus one:

In a meeting today with Republican State Committeewoman Kathleen Lynch and Republican State Committeeman Dennis Galvin, former State Senator and Fitchburg City Councilor Dean Tran announced his intention to challenge Democratic Congresswoman Lori Trahan for the Third Congressional District Seat.  Tran brings energy, experience, organization and fundraising ability to the effort making this race potentially the most competitive in the Commonwealth in 2022.  Tran is a great "nuts and bolts" campaigner, who knows the game and plays hard to win.  He has assembled a great team to fill out his staff, and is poised to offer a formidable challenge to the incumbent.

Pointing to the economic, border and national security disasters of the Biden administration, Tran indicates, that he will try to return some sanity to Washington.  Energy Independence, better security and screening protocols at the border, particularly for Covid19, and improving military readiness, in the face of a rising Communist threat from China are among his top priorities.  Looking at the map, he thinks he has more than an even chance.  The newly reorganized third congressional district now extends from Haverhill to Gardner, and south to Concord Action and Clinton.  Tran is confident that he will be very competitive particularly in the district’s cities of Gardner, Fitchburg, Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill.

Recent polling suggests that Democrats in Congress are in trouble.  Their plans seem to be rooted in a wrong understanding of the economy and what it takes to get it turned around.  There is a good chance that Republicans running for the House and the Senate will offer up ideas that will capture the voters.

This means that local Republicans need to "Get ready to get to work!".

Regards  —  Cliff

Julian Assange Coming to America

For John, BLUF:  This is a saga that has gone on for too long a time.  It should have been ended under the last administration.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Julian Assange Loses Appeal:  British High Court Accepts U.S. Request to Extradite Him for Trial

Here is the sub-headline:

Press freedom groups have warned Assange's prosecution is a grave threat.  The Biden DOJ ignored them, and today won a major victory toward permanently silencing the pioneering transparency activist.

From Greenwald Substack, by Reporter Glenn Greenwald, 19 December 2021.

Here is the lede plus one:

In a London courtroom on Friday morning, Julian Assange suffered a devastating blow to his quest for freedom.  A two-judge appellate panel of the United Kingdom's High Court ruled that the U.S.'s request to extradite Assange to the U.S. to stand trial on espionage charges is legally valid.

As a result, that extradition request will now be sent to British Home Secretary Prita Patel, who technically must approve all extradition requests but, given the U.K. Government's long-time subservience to the U.S. security state, is all but certain to rubber-stamp it.  Assange's representatives, including his fiancee Stella Morris, have vowed to appeal the ruling, but today's victory for the U.S. means that Assange's freedom, if it ever comes, is further away than ever: not months but years even under the best of circumstances.

This is not a good turn for press freedom, either in the UK or the US.  I wonder what they are afraid of.

As an aside, I did think that Mr Greenwald was a bit snarky about the UK being subservient to the US in the area of national security.  However, the issue of press freedom should be paramount for both nations.

Regards  —  Cliff

Mass and Cass Crime

For John, BLUF:  When the local news starts reporting on crime in areas where the homeless congregate it is a sign that action needs to be taken.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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‘I’m unnerved by it’:  Attorney calls for change after he says he was attacked while driving through Boston

From WHDH (7 News), by Reporter Nick Emmons, 9 December 2021.

Here is the lede plus three:

BOSTON (WHDH) - A local attorney says he feared for his life after he was attacked while driving in Boston.

After meeting with a client at the South Bay jail, Hassan Williams said he beeped at a man for blocking traffic near an intersection in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard — an area plagued by homelessness and drug use.

That is when he said another man came forward and began swinging a broken piece of a wheelchair at his car.  The discarded footpad shattered Williams’ windshield and passenger side window and ended up on the floorboard among scattered shards of glass.  Another person allegedly threw some food at the car as well.

“I have food and bodily fluids all over my car because I couldn’t get out of the car, because I have a mob sitting outside the car.  I couldn’t stay in the car because I have a guy smashing my car,” he explained.  “I’m like, what the heck am I gonna do?”

The first lesson to be learned is that one should avoid locations where the homeless congregate.

The second lesson to be learned is that if in an area where homeless congregate one should not call attention to oneself, nor should one irritate the homeless milling around.

That said, this is about policing in cities.  There need to be minimum standards of behavior, enforced.  There needs to be mental health help for those who need it.  Open drug markets need to be suppressed.  Safe spaces to walk zre needed.  This is local government.  Stte Government can help, but it is about local government setting and enforcing stndards.  And it is about local residents getting out and voting.  Nothing gets the attention of politicians like a strong voter turnout

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff